Shattered Briar
by Cryla Moorin
Summary: (Complete) Hermione teaches those she loves about the true meaning of love, once and for all.
1. Briar Rose

Title: "Shattered Briar"  
  
Line: "Harry Potter"  
  
Author: Cryla Moorin  
  
Pair: Hermione- Draco  
  
Chapter 1: Brair Rose  
  
The air seemed all the more silent for the stench that filled this room, which all those present had come to love with all thier hearts. This room where thier fates had been set, to which House they would be sorted, and others like them had strode to the battered stool and the been placed beneath that sadist hat to be sorted into thier appropriate destinies: Brave and Foolish for Gryffindor, Smart and Sassy for Ravenclaw, Sweet and Caring for Hufflepuff, lastly, Sly and Viscious for Slytherin. The air that once held the sweet aroma of hopeful anticipation eminating from so many children, now held the acrid stench of dispairing betrayal. The four houses and thier founders watched, as helpless as the professors and their observant student body, the power-filled five met only in time to see one of thier own pass on and evolve.   
  
Where four met in solemn hatred, bent on the destruction of each other, the last and final member met their spells with eternal love. Power for power, these sorcerers waged their battle of dominance. The Emerald-eyed Fire against the Frozen-eyed Ice, and the Mahogany-eyed Earth. The Blue-eyed Air wracked with jealousy for those around him, completely ignoring his own power and contributions, made to destroy those mentioned and the final member, the loving and brave Star. Compassionate and fair, she held these four together in times of trouble and peace. She loved and accepted thier faults, no matter what the consequences might be.   
  
Each curse yelled across the room, each pound of bitter hatred which spewed forth from the lips of her comrades, Star countered. Using her imagination to morph the spells into something cute or completely innocuous, like flowers or rainbows. As the spells came faster and meaner, the adversaries drew closer together. No one dared interrupt this fatal foray, not even to aid the lone Star.  
  
Alternately deflecting and transfiguring spells, she began to lose. Helplessly, she also began to watch as spells being flung carved the stone floor. Fire, Earth, Ice and Air squared off, each close by, each aiming one final attack towards one of thier own choosing: Fire to Ice, Earth to Air, Air to Fire, Ice to Earth. Standing in a perfect circle, niether took notice as Star, sensing no other alternative, nor option left, threw herself into the middle of the circle of Death. Each spell caught her at the same time, one moment before each of the would be killers screamed one word, voices filled with abject horror.  
  
"~Firen Totalus~!" Fire hollered to Ice.  
  
"~Ician Blockaid~!" The one named Ice screamed to the Red-headed Earth.  
  
"~Airus Stalematen~!" Air cast to the object of his jealous rage.  
  
"~Briar, Briar, Morphitus~!" Earth hurled towards her brother.  
  
Star screamed in agony, as she was made the victim of the combined curses, one by one. Courtesy of Earth, her body was transfigured into a Briar bush, with lovely roses the color of her pure amethyst eyes. Next, Fire's curse caused her brambles to ignite, engulfing her plantlike body in flames. Ice encased her still flaming plantae-summoned body in his namesake, trapping those crucius licks of flame. Air caused the final blow, all the air was stilled in the ice fortress that held thier friend prisoner, as the flames died down, so Star's life ebbed away. Until nothing was left, but for the single screamed word of horror shared by Four adversaries, and the solitary meaning they would always remember that word to mean, Love: Hermione.  
  
End Chapter 1 


	2. Meaning Of Love

Title: "Shattered Briar"  
  
Line: "Harry Potter"  
  
Author: Cryla Moorin  
  
Pair: Harry-Ginny  
  
Chapter 2: Meaning of Love  
  
Oblivious to the world around them, the four stood in silent mourning, as the inevitable end to the screaming came much too quickly for them, the truth became so heart-wrenchingly clear. Star had died, by thier hands, because of thier pointless hatred and anger. Earth felt tears, of remorse and of love lost, cascade from her mahogany eyes. How could she have done that? Hated them all, the boys, her brother and Harry, how could it have all come to this? She looked from her sister to the men before her, seeking thier eyes with her own.   
  
Meeting emerald first, she spoke not a word. "Ginny?" His voice cracked, as his turbulent emotions flooded his eyes. Wooded-eyes met jeweled ones, each sharing the same pain, the same loss, the same understanding. How could it have come to this? Once, he had admired her, she had survived Voldemort, and lived her life ready for whatever was thrown in her path; she was strength and stability. She was all he could not have. Though in time, they had grown to love the other, not being able to share that love had warped them. Fear for the other's safety, from outside forces or those closer to home, they had become distant, withdrawing from the love they felt. Until all that remained was the unreasonable hatred and bitterness at not being able to love the other freely.   
  
"Harry." Her voice scraped at her already burning throat. Ignoring the pain coursing through her, she walked on unsteady legs, the few feet which seperated her from the one she had loved for a long time. "I love-"  
  
"I already know, Gin. Thank you." He laid his lips on hers, ignoring the startled eyes of Ice and Air. Here was the love, the one he had searched for, it had been right in front of him all along, just as Hermione had told him. He had thought she had meant herself, not the woman by his side. He cried freely, his tears melding with his love's, and falling as one to the frozen cell.  
  
Air watched, unbelieving. His best friend had been in love with his SISTER? The male red-head, stared at the horror his own festered bitterness, at not having the unconditional love of the woman he had helped to kill. Like Harry, he had thought that Hermione had meant herself, as the one who has loved him all along, had always been there loving him, waiting in the wings patiently for her time to enter his life. He had allowed himself to grow bitter and distant from Hermione as the anger, rejection and betrayal had become overwhelming. Taking over his life, his thoughts and finally, corrupting his Gryffindor's heart. He had grown to hate his best mate, his family, but most importantly, the girl he had loved. No matter that he had a girlfriend, even now, who watched him from the Slytherin table, understanding and trust shining brightly in her eyes. Even as he was soothed, his heart spoke past the pain, "I killed my sister." Breaking down, he collapsed to his knees. His tears falling to the base of the momument to the destruction they had wrought. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he merely clasped a tear-soaked hand around it, gaining strength and the forgiveness he desperately needed for the act that had destroyed him. Her voice, so like Hermione's, yet with a more musical lilt to it, caressed his aching soul. "Ron, I love you."   
  
"I love you, too, Pan." He looked up at her, then. This past year, her father had been killed in a scirmish on the grounds. The minute he had taken his last breath, many spells fell away revealing the real Pansy Parkinson. A beautiful goddess in her own right, whose voice was a source of magick all it's own. Ron had saved her from her father's wrath, and she had become his girlfriend, against her family's wishes.  
  
Ice stared at the two couples before him. Thier tears fell as a combined unit to the icy casket before them. Harry and Ginny's tears began to thaw the ice, as Ron and Pansy's seeped beneath. The last was taken back to merely the day before, where the memory of a fateful encounter between himself and Star continued to haunt him.   
  
She stood before him hands on her hips, "Draco, listen to me. For once, please, forget who your family lives for, and what they expect of you!"  
  
"How can I forget for even a moment, Mudblood? My father would kill me if he knew anything about us even speaking to each other civilly!" He screamed in her face, his heart cracking at the sight of her tears, breaking and knowing he was responsible for them.  
  
"Draco, Damn it! I don't care what he'll do. If we are together, we can overcome anything. He doesn't matter; we do!"  
  
"Mione, listen to yourself, you are talking as if their is something between us, and there isn't!"  
  
"Stop running away, Draco. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me! Look at me!" She grabbed his arm, screaming at him. Trying to reason with the man and his stubborn need to protect her, she forced his eyes to meet hers, both blazing.  
  
"I am not running away, Granger! You are refusing to see the truth!"  
  
"Refusing to see the truth? If you would simply look at the reality before you and not your father's twisted ideas, you would see more clearly than ever before that I have always been here, loving you. Haven't you noticed by now that I love you? This is our chance, Draco. To be free, and to love, why won't you take it? We may not get another chance!" Her eyes had been drenched, blazing with love and purpose, begging him for a chance at love.   
  
Stupidly, he had allowed that stubborn need to protect the woman he loved from the family to which he had been born to control him. He had simply walked off. Long after, even now that he himself had silenced that offered love, her cries of mourning rang in his mind.   
  
Falling from his ice-laden eyes, his tears scalded his skin. Burning holes in his creation, the tears continued to fall, unbidden and unchecked.   
  
Five voices, as one, each placing a hand on the casket, stated an intention calmly, full of love and repentance, "I love you, Hermione."   
  
As they took thier hands away, the fire within the ice began to blaze, magickally melting the ice from inside, quenching the charred remains of the briar held captive. Suddenly, the ice shattered and the air in the room began to move forcefully. The fire swirled and danced, encircling the lovely bloom-covered plant. Cradling it, as the warmth enveloped it from sight, the flame died down to reveal the body of their loved one lost. Suddenly, the swirlling air lifted the body, before forcing itself into her lungs, and then out. Laying her down again, her lovely violet eyes, a symbol of her power, fluttered open.   
  
On her lips, a benediction issued forth, healing all the rifts her death had torn asunder, "I love you all, too. Unconditionally, I always will. Welcome back." She smiled in that knowing way of hers, letting all five know that everything would finally be alright. 


	3. Ron

Line: Harry Potter  
  
Author: Cryla Moorin  
  
Title: Shattered Briar  
  
Chapter 3: Ron  
  
Pansy Parkinson's frighteningly high voice pierced the cacophony of the Great Hall, "Draco!" All in attendence winced at the sound that never failed to grate on every one's ears. Running, she launched herself at her query. Whishpering in his ear, "They're coming." Loud enough for the table to hear, "Come on, let's go snog." She led him out, seemingly oblivious to the stares the recieved.  
  
Draco merely shook his head. 'Hard to believe that sound and her face come from a spell.' He pulled her into the abandoned astrtonomy tower, "Alright, Pan. What's up?"  
  
She shivered and looked out the window. "Draco, my parents are coming, here, to Hogwarts. They are planning an attack to kill the boy who lived. They are so crazy. Goddess, what are we going to do? We can't let them kill Harry." She sobbed into the boy she thought of as a brother's shirt.   
  
Draco smoothed her hair, and rocked her. The Parkinson family had a disgrace in the family that kept them from attaining his father's place, as Voldemort's right hand man: Pansy. She had, despite her family's trtaining of her to be evil, turned out a proper little lady, innocent and caring. To combat her loveliness, outside and in, her father cast a spell to make her physically ugly, and her lovely voice to take on a shrill, grating noise. Because she hadf tried to save a young mudblood, she had been beaten without magick to the point of death. Her engagement to Draco was the only thing saving her from an agonizingly slow death.  
  
Her parents always beat her, every time they came. She came back to his dorm painted in her own blood. He would clean her up and watch as she showed the person she really was, only to turn slowly back into the Pansy Parkinson the school hated, even the teachers. "I won't let them harm you this time, Pan. I swear this on my life."  
  
"They may take it from you, Draco. I couldn't stand it if my only family were to be taken by thier greed. Please, if it looks like you'll get hurt, run for it. Promise me, Draco. Promise!" She clenched his arm, looking straight into his eyes. Her eyes shown with renewed tears and terro for him.   
  
"Pan, I'll be fine. I am the smartest guy in Hogwarts, right?" He lifted her chin, before placing a small kiss on her nose.   
  
At her giggle, her grinned. "Come on, let's go back to my dorm and do stuff." He wagged his eyebrows at her, calling forth a true laugh of mirth.   
  
"You just want to talk about Hermione."   
  
"Damn straight." He lead her out, in gentlemanly fashion.  
  
Little did either know, but someone was listening in on thier private conversation. His hand clenched, at the mention of Hermione. As the couple exited, the listener pressed himself against the wall, until thier footsteps got furthur down the corridor. Stepping into the light, his red hair glinted in the uncertain light. Ron Weasley wasn't happy. "Malfoy. First Potter, Now Malfoy. I should kill them both, then she would fall for me." Anger tightening every feature, he followed the two Slytherins until they reached the courtyard. The Parkinsons stared at thier offspring.   
  
Her father was the first to speak. "You little lady are a disgrace! You will not stand in our way!" He took out his wand to cast something at her.  
  
"No, Father! I will not allow you to harm anyone here! There is nothing you can do. Go away!" Pansy's grating voicee seemed less so, as she stood unflinching before her father's wand.  
  
"Have it your way, I should have drowned you, ignoring Malfoy's wish to wed you to his son." he aimed his wand, again. "Cruciatus!"   
  
Ron watched in horror as Pansy fell to the ground twitching, tears streaming from her eyes. She never once screamed. Her father was joined by her mother, sister and brother. The spells intensified, but not a single scream left her tightly sealed lips. She opened her eyes to meet Ron's startled awe-filled ones. Her eyes pleading with him to leave her to the fate she had chosen.  
  
He backed up, and ran to Malfoy's side. Taking out his wand, he murmured, "We should attack them together."   
  
Draco's eyes widened. "You would do that for Pansy?"  
  
"No one deserves this." Ron cocked his head towards the display of inhumanity before them..  
  
"I agree. One three, One. Two. Three." Draco shouted.  
  
"-Stupify-!" Both male voices filled the courtyard.  
  
Mr. Pankinson whirled towards Ron, "Never interfere, young pup. Or I shall teach you some manners." Aiming his wand at Ron, he screamed, "-Cruciatus-!"  
  
At that exact moment, Ron yelled. "-Stupify-!" The spells combined and in a flash of green light, Mr. Parkinson was on the ground. Dead.  
  
Ron stared, blinking rapidly. "What happened?" Looking around, he noticed that the rest of Pansy's family had disapperated.  
  
Draco called, "Ron!" He was kneeling next to Pansy, feeling her pulse. "Good, I think you'll live, sis. Don't ever scare me like that, again."  
  
Ron looked up at his nemesis, "Sis?"  
  
"Yes, Ron. The only thing that kept her alive until now was that she was engaged to me. It was my mother's idea. We grew up together; she's like my sister." A grin formed on his handsome face.  
  
"But, all those times..." Ron trailed off. "You never snogged, did you?"  
  
"No, mostly we would talk. Or do homework, away from prying eyes. Weasley, stay with her and I will get Dumbledore." Draco rose to leave, but stopped when another flash of light eminated from Pansy's still form.  
  
Both men looked on in shock as Pnasy's body was wrapped in the bright light, as it changed colours her form changed. Her face lost its pug-like qualities, leaving it smooth and soft. It was eartheal, reminding Ron of a muggle depiction of a Wizardess from long ago. Next, a blue colour concentrated around her throat. Her mouth opened on a kareening cry so like her normal screams. As the blue became lighter, her cry became a song, a single note that touched ones heart and soothed the soul. As the lights faded, she once again rested on the ground. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal the most beautiful sapphire eyes, Ron had ever seen. Her voice was lilting as she asked Draco, "Is he really dead?"  
  
Draco lifted her into his arms. "Yes, sweet sister. But, don't thank me. Ron saved you. It was his spell that killed Parkinson."   
  
Pansy blushed and stammered a 'thank you'.   
  
Draco sighed. "Pan, I have to get Dumbledore and tell him what happened, alright? Think you can live with spending time with your rescuer?"   
  
"Yes." She blushed harder.  
  
"Ron, think you can watch my sister, until I get back?" Draco looked him right in the eye.   
  
Pansy intervened, "Draco, stop trying to intimidate the poor man. Go find, Dumbledore. We'll be fine."  
  
"Fine, and Ron. Hurt my sister and Feel my wrath." With his warning stated, Draco exited the courtyard in a dramatic flurry of robes.   
  
Pansy laughed, "He's too much like Snape for comfort, sometimes." She looked at Ron. "Thank you, for saving me. Even though it was unintentional. I know that I was horrible to you, I ahve no excuse only one reason: my family. I am not asking for forgiveness, just a chance to thank you." Her voice was serious, but Ron couldn't get over how lovely it really was.   
  
"Pansy, why... what..." He fell silent, as Pansy motioned him over to sit beside her.  
  
"My father always wanted to be Lucius Malfoy, even here in Hogwarts. He was evil enough, but no brains. When they had me, I was a fluke, a disgrace, as they put it. I never liked to kill, and was happiest helping others. I am a Gryffindor, but my family would have destroyed us all, had I accepted that from the Sorting Hat. So, I told the hat, I only wanted Slytherin. That's how I got my House. As the years went by, my father said that I should get physically closer to Draco, or Lucius, which ever I preferred. I was sickened by it. The first time it was purposed I was nine and I had started to grow my breasts. Draco saved me then, telling them that I already had been intimate with him. We were 12 at the time. Truth was, Draco has always loved Hermione; should his father find out, both of them would die horrible deaths. So, he has been horrible to her, only to keep her safe. To keep me from approaching you, as I would have loved to since first year, my father cast the spell to alter my appearance and my voice."  
  
"Making you repulsive to all but Draco." Ron felt sick inside. So much had gone on beneath the surface with this lovely woman and she cared for him, she said as much. He had seen her when he was growing up, she had always seemed so lovely from afar, but up close, he only saw her in first year. He had thought her close to hideous. He placed his arm around this awe-inspiring woman at his side. "Pansy?"  
  
"Ron, I...I love you." She looked straight into his eyes. Awaiting, calmly, his rejection or his acceptance of the love she felt. He smiled. "You deserve better than me, Pansy. Much better, but for some reason I can't seem to walk away." Leaning down, he claimed her lips with his own.   
  
When they parted, Pansy looked at him again. "Ron, will you be my boyfriend?"  
  
"Yes, Pansy. I would love to be your boyfriend." He hugged her close, reveling in the feeling of rightness coming from her leaning against his heart.   
  
"I have one stipulation, though."  
  
"What's that, love?"  
  
"Call me, Pan."  
  
He laughed and kissed her, again. Hermione had been right, some one had been waiting in the wings to take her place by his side and in his life. But, then isn't she always? 


	4. How It All Began

Line: Harry Potter  
  
Author: Cryla Moorin  
  
Title: Shattered Briar  
  
Chapter 4: How it all began  
  
Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room thinking how best to break it to her friends that she loved Draco Malfoy. Rolling her eyes, she knew what their responses would be. Harry would scream and rail at her for being a stupid and blind girl infatuated with the ferret's looks. Ginny would rail at her for the same thing, then look at Harry and cry. Ron would probably lose his temper and get her admitted to St. Mungo's Psychiatric Ward for evaluation. She smiled at the picture.   
  
Harry entered the room, stomping his feet. Glaring at anyone who got between him and his query, Hermione. Putting her book behind her, in case Harry had learned how to breathe fire, she placed her hands in her lap. She didn't ahve long to wait, before he began his nightly tirade due to one of three people: Ron, Ginny or Draco. Tonight, it was all three.  
  
"'Mione, Ginny hates me. Ron thinks that I am somehow in love with you! Don't even get me started on Ferret-boy! They are all insane. Insane, I tell you. Worse that Umbridge crossed with Trelawney. And that's going some." He paced as he talked, pointing and yelling.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, sit down."  
  
"Are you taking sides?" His eyes were incredulous.  
  
"I SAID, SIT DOWN! I MEANT IMMEDIATELY!" She shouted at her best friend, without taking a breath to warn him.  
  
Harry was taken aback, not to mention Ron and Ginny. Hermione never yelled at them. What was going on?  
  
"Now, as I was going to say. There is something I know about the three of you, and for the rest of this school as well. With this information I am about to part with, I expect merely that you listen, understand?" She eyed all three of her friends sternly.  
  
When they had nodded, she continued. "For each of you, there is someone at this school that loves you with all of thier heart. And they exist waiting in the wings to take thier rightful place by your side, in your life. You may not understand that now, but know that this someone has always been there, right under your very nose. Trust me on this. Someone is there; you must merely look for them. Now, I am going for a walk. Good night." As she rose, she made the mistake that would cause her death by thier hands, she squeezed Harry's shoulder in comfort, and left.   
  
Draco had seen this, from his hiding place under an invisibility cloak in the corner, and it filled him with rage. Potter had to die. Hermione was his. No one elses.   
  
Ginny was filled with agonizing betrayal. Hermione wanted Harry, even knowning all her secrets, Hermione chose Harry over her. Potter and Ron are so much the same. Ginny walked over and slapped Harry and then punched her brother in the nose before disappearing up to the girl's dormitory.  
  
Ron glared at Harry before issuing his threat. "See you in the Great Hall tomorrow, at Lunch. Potter, be forewarned, I intend to kill you!"   
  
Harry was left with an aching jaw, sitting silently. "I hate them all!"  
  
And this is how it all began. 


End file.
